Entertainment value and important topics

Cite the word “entertainment” among Very Important Professionals, and you’ll get a weird look. But we sell highly advanced infrastructure technology. We offer sage, self-help ideas for those in need. We’re trying to fix what’s broken in society. We’re writing about mental health.

Whatever the topic, whatever the industry, when people recognize (often rightly) that their work addresses something serious in the work or lives of those they serve, they often assume the posture of Very Important Professionals. Know what Very Important Professionals are unlikely to think about in their work?

Entertainment value.

The thing is, “entertaining” shouldn’t mean “gimmicky” or “cheap” or “distracting from the core purpose.” Instead, it should mean “engaging” and “gripping” and “worth staying with.”

My all-time favorite examples of how big problems and serious ideas can be addressed in more entertaining ways are the science explainer channel Kurzgesagt, the podcast Radiolab, and the late, great Anthony Bourdain’s travel show on CNN, Parts Unknown. They all explore some dark, terrible things at times. They all advocate for a better world. Yet they all entertain us, holding our attention with the work they create.

(Just imagine a scenario where someone’s favorite things to consume also address Very Important things for them and for society. Create that kind of work, and you create important change.)

They are Very Important Professionals addressing very important topics to create very important change in thinking and/or behavior in others … and yet they know how to hold our attention all the while.

Their work is entertaining. It’s not a Buzzfeed quiz or a reality show about dating. It’s not mindless escapism. Like us, they seek mindful attention and careful participation from others. The way they entertain us matches those goals.

If you want to make positive change, don’t assume the posture of Very Important Professionals. Don’t just hand out more facts and flyers. Tell stories. Design experiences. Entertain.